Blank smokeless-powder cartridge.



PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

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F. SPARRE. BLANK SMOKELESS POWDER CARTRIDGE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13. 1905.

FIN SPARRE, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

BLANK SMOKELESS-POWDER CARTRIDGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1906.

Application filed September 13, 1905. Serial No. 278,230.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FIN SPARRE, a subject of the King of Sweden and Norway, residing at Wilmington, county of Newcastle and State of Delaware, have invented a new and Auseful Improvement in Blank Smokeless- Powder Cartridges, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to blank-cartridges adapted especially for cannons employing smokeless powder and designed for saluting and maneuvering purposes.

The objects of the invention are to produce a blank smokeless-powder cartridge that will give a good report, burn up the powder completely, but not too quickly or slowly, and be safe, economical, and will not differ in arrangement and mode of firing from the regular-service charges.

A blank smokeless-powder cartridge to be available and satisfactory should meet the following requirements: The re ort should be loud and clear; the zone o danger in front of the muzzle should not exceed a dozen yards and should, if possible, be even less for a field-gun; the powder must not burn so quickly that there is danger of detonation, thus injuring the gun and imperiling the safety of the gunner; the powder must not burn so slowly that it will not burn up in the gun or fail to give a good report; the powder charge should be considerably smaller than the regular-service charge-say about one-fifth of sameso as to make it less expensive; the arrangement of the cartridge and the method of firing should not differ from the regularservice charges, so as to make drill therewith useful. While certain of these requirements have been heretofore attained, it is exceedingly difiicult to produce a cartridge that Will meet all of these requirements. For example, hollow wooden projectiles have been employed to give resistance and increase the pressure of the owder-gases for the purpose of causing the s ow-burning powder to give a sufficient report and burn up; but the zone of danger in front of the muzzle has thereby been enlarged and accidents are caused. In other cases the cartridgediffers in arrangement and mode of handling from the servicecartridge, rendering maneuver drill nearly y useless.

A cartridge constructed in accordance with perforation, as shown.

' my invention possesses all the advantages hereinbefore enumerated.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the cartridge. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modification.

Referring first to Fig. 1, a is the cartridgecase; b, the smokeless-powder charge; c, the

cap or primer d, the end or closing plate; e,

the filling between the powder charge and- The foregoing elements charclosing-plate. acterize a regular-service cartridge; but in my construction the powder charge, filling, and closing-plate are adapted to a powderchamber formed by a receptacle v of an internal diameter preferably somewhat less than half the diameter of the cartridge-case. The arrangement is such that an air-chamber :c is

formed between the outer wall of the powderreceptacle and the inner wall of the case,

lar fianges w w at the top and bottom of thereceptacle, which engage the wall of the cartridge-case. To insure the retention in place of the powder-receptacle after the shot is fired, the walls of the powder-receptacle may be tapered a little and the cartridge-case crimped at the upper end of the receptacle, as shown at h. The bottom of the receptacle shouldhave a central perforation 7r in line with the primer c, and the powder, if inserted loosely within the receptacle, may fill this The powder-receptacle is made, referably, of a light metal, as aluminium. f made of steel, the discharged cartridge maybe too heavy to extract by the extractor of the breech. The closing-plate may be of cork, felt, or similar material. The filling may consist of shavings, sawdust, felt, aper, or similar material packed more or ess hard to give sufficient resistance.

The cartridge shown in Fig. 2 does not differ in principle from that shown in Fig. 1, but several feasible modifications are indicated. In this view, k is the cartridge-case; Z, the smokeless-powder charge, which in this in- IOO stance is shown contained in a' bag; m, the l diameter and is held in place by its upper end fitting within the contracted neck of the cartridge-case.

The air-cushion between the powder-receptacle and the cartridge-case protects the Walls of the powder-chamber from detonation of the powder, and further rotection is afforded by exploding the pow er in a special chamber fitted in the cartridge.

The volume of the powderchamber is much reduced. As, however, the report practically depends on the pressure of the gases when escaping from the gun and as the pressure of the gases depends principally on. the loading density or relation between volume of powder-chamber and weight of powder, it will be appreciated that loudness and clearness of report is secured with a great saving 'of powder, which reduces the danger of injuring the gun, and because of the great protection of the powder-chamber there is less risk involved in employing high pressure.

It will be understood that the cartridgecase and the powder-receptacle form in practice a single unit, the wall of the powder-receptacle being suiiciently thick to withstand bursting and the case and receptacle remaining in the gun-barrel after the powder is discharged therefrom and being used repeatedly to receive successive charges of owder.

Thus a cartridge is roduced Whic is perfectly safe for man an gun, the report is loud and clear, the powder burns up completely, the zone of danger is remarkably short, there is a great savingof powder, and the method of handling and firing is the same as in service-firing. v

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

1. A smokeless-powder charge com rising a cartridge-case, a powder-receptacle aving rigid walls inserted within the case and held in permanent' relation thereto and spaced permanently therefrom to form an air-space between the outer wall of the receptacle and the inner wall of the case.

2. A smokeless-powder charge comprising a cartridge-case, a powder-receptacle having a rigid bottom and rigid walls and held in permanent relation to the case; a charge within the receptacle consisting of powder and a filling material, said charge extending outwardly from vthe bottom of the receptacle and not exceeding in length that of either the case or the receptacle.

3. A smokeless-powder charge comprising a cartridge-case, a powder-receptacle having rigid walls inserted Within the case and held in permanent relation thereto, the interiorl walls of the receptacle being tapered inwardly toward its lower or ,inner end.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, on this 5th day of September, 1905.

FIN SPARRE. Witnesses:

M. M. HAMILTON, J. B. Woon. 

